Ahmed Fathi responds to “Salah’s national team” claims

Egypt international right-back, Ahmed Fathi, revealed that being called “Salah’s national team” doesn’t bother him at all, saying it as an honor for them.

With Mohamed Salah having arguably the best season of his professional football career so far, scoring 36 goals across all competitions with Liverpool, many associate the Egyptian national team’s success with the 25-year-old’s form.

Salah has been compared with the likes of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the past couple of months, thanks to his brilliant performances.

Even though they aren’t necessarily on the same technical level yet, all three players are seen as heroes in their homeland and many believe that without them their national teams wouldn’t thrive.

Egypt national team coach, Héctor Cúper, has been highly criticised for counting too much on Salah in his tactics, which led many to call the Egyptian national team, “Salah’s national team”.

“It doesn’t bother me and why should it? It’s an honor for us to have a player like Mohamed Salah,” Fathi told ON Sport TV channel.

“Salah is a very respectable player and we are honored to be with him. He makes the difference for Liverpool in England, so what is the problem that he is the one who makes the difference for Egypt? They call us “Salah’s national team? We have no problem with that.

“There are some who criticise Salah and I do not know how this happens and why is it happening? He is a great player and it is an honor for us to be with him,” the Al Ahly player added.

The Egyptian national team are currently in Zurich to face European champions Portugal and Greece in preparation for the World Cup.

“Our goal is definitely to go through the group-stages, but our group is not easy and so we have to take it step by step,” Fathi concluded

The Pharaohs were drawn in Group A alongside hosts Russia, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia, with their opening game being against Uruguay on June 15, before facing Russia on June 19 and Saudi Arabia on June 25.